Transient ischemic attack history and symptoms
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Differentiating Transient Ischemic Attack from other Diseases |
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Symptoms vary widely from person to person depending on the area of the brain involved. The most frequent symptoms include temporary loss of vision (typically amaurosis fugax), difficulty speaking (dysarthria), weakness on one side of the body (hemiparesis), numbness usually on one side of the body, and loss of consciousness. If there are neurological symptoms persisting for more than 24 hours, it is classified as a cerebrovascular accident (stroke).
History and Symptoms
Symptoms begin suddenly, last only a short time (from a few minutes to 1 - 2 hours), then disappear completely. They may occur again at a later time. Symptoms usually occur on the same side of the body if more than one body part is involved. Patients suffering from TIA may present with one or more of the following typical or atypical symptoms:
Typical Symptoms
Typical symptoms may help determine to localize the vascular territory involved in patients with TIA:
- Muscle weakness of the face, arm, or leg (usually only on one side of the body)
- Numbness or tingling on one side of the body
- Difficulty speaking or understanding others who are speaking
- Double vision or loss of all or part of vision
- Changes in sensation, involving touch, pain, temperature, pressure, hearing, and taste
- Change in alertness (sleepiness, less responsive, unconscious, or coma)
- Personality, mood, or emotional changes
- Confusion or loss of memory
- Difficulty swallowing
- Difficulty writing or reading
- Lack of coordination and balance, clumsiness, or trouble walking
- Abnormal sensation of movement (vertigo) or dizziness
- Lack of control over the bladder or bowels
- Inability to recognize or identify sensory stimuli (agnosia)
Atypical Symptoms
Atypical symptoms are focal but may not specify underlying cause or vessel involved:
- Movement of symptoms from one part to the other without crossing midline
- Gradual worsening of pre existing mild symptoms
- Isolated vision loss in one or both eyes
- Isolated sensory symptoms such as tingling, numbness
- Isolated brain stem symptoms such as vomiting, dizziness
- Presence of identical symptoms over the period of one year